Iron fence-post



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK SUHMITZ, OF CORNELL, ILLINOIS.

IRON FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 260,614, dated July 4, 1882.

Application filed December 21, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK Scnm'rz, of Cornell, in the county of Livingston and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new'and useful Improvements in Iron Fence-Posts, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts mall the figures.

Figure 1 isafront elevation of my improvement. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, partly in section through the line y 51 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of a part of the same, taken through the line as a;,Fig. 2.

In this invention the post, as a whole, is composed of four parts, of which two parts form the upright or post above the ground and two parts form the base,rwhich latter is intended to be buried in the earth. This base is com posed of two separate parts or plates,eachhaving a central interlocking web. lVhen these parts are joined together their exterior surfaces have an inclined or pyramidal form, upon which the earth is packed, thereby preventing the base from rising or being thrown out of the ground by strains or frost. The bottom ends of the two uprights rest upon the upper ends of the base-plates, which have inclined sockets upon their exteriors, into which the extremities of the uprights fit, said extremities being bent outwardly to fit the sockets. When the uprights have been adjusted within the sockets the two parts composing the uprights of the post arebound or hoopedtogether by means of bands, which also have the effect to lock the lower extremities of the uprights and the apex of the base-plates firmly together, thus forming a strong and enduring post hav-' ing a base of pyramidal form not easily dislodged when properly set in the earth.

My invention consists in the above construction, and in certain-other peculiarities in the making of the post, all of which I will now proceed more particularly to describe.

A B representtwo metallic plates, the lower ends of which are pointed to cause them to enter the ground readily. The plates AB are designed to be driven into the ground in inclined positions, as shown in Fig. 2, so that their upper ends will be in contact with each other.

Upon the inner sides of the plates A B are formed flanges or webs O D, the inner edges of which,when the plates AB are in the ground, are in contact with each other, and are made I with interlocking joints, so that neither of the said plates can rise without raising the other.

In interlocking the webs O D an angular notch, 01, is formed in the edge of the web D and a corresponding angular projection, c, is formed in the edge of the web 0, so that the upper edge of the said projection 0 will rest against the inclined upper edge of the notch d, and thus prevent the plate A from rising,

while the inclinedlower edge of the notch d rests against the inclined lower edge of the projection c, and thus prevents the plate B from rising. For additional security the edge of the web D can have an angular projection,

01, formed upon it, to enter a corresponding notch, c, in the edge of the web 0, as shown in Fig. 2, the said projection d and notch 0 operating in the manner hereinbefore described with reference to the notch d and projection c. The edge of the web D can be made upon a concave curve, 01 and the edge of the web 0 upon a convex curve, 0 to prevent either of the plates A B from rising without the other.

Upon the outer sides of the plates A B are formed cross-ribs E, to engage with the soil packed upon the said plates, and thus further guard the said plates from being raised. Upon the outer sides of the upper ends of the plates A B are formed dovetailed grooves or sockets F, to receive the inclined feet G formed upon the lower ends of the metallic uprights H I. The upright H is made wide or narrow, and running to a point at the top, and the upright I is made narrow, as shown in Fig.1, and rests against the said upright H.

Upon the inner sides of the upper ends of the feet G are formed notches or grooves g, to receive lugs or ribs f formed upon the upper ends of the plates A B at the upper ends of the sockets F, to prevent the feet Gr from being withdrawn from the sockets F when the base A B and uprights H I are in place.

The two uprightsH I areheld.together,locking the apex of the baseA B to and between the feet G by bands J slipped upon them and driven into place. The upright I is made with two or more shoulders, or tapering and without shoulders, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it becomes smaller and lighter toward its upper end. The uprights H I have grooves in their adjacent faces, as shown in Fig. 2, to receive the boards K or wires L, or any material that forms the panels of the fence. The panels of the fence can be formed wholly of boards II or of wires L,or both boards and wires or any other material may be used. The board and wire arrangement is shown in the drawings.

With this construction the fence will be firm, strong, and durable, and the posts will not be liable to be raised by strain or frost.

If desired,one or moreextra base-plates may be used at the sides to make the posts static more firmly;

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A fence-post constructed substantially as herein shown and described, and consisting of the inclined plates A B, the upright parts H I, and the bands J, as set forth.

2. In a fence-post, the inclined base-plates A B, constructed with interlocking webs G D, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said plates are strengthened and prevented from separately rising, as set forth.

3. In a fence-post, the interlocking baseplates A B, provided with the cross-ribs E on their outer sides, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said plates are prevented from rising, as set forth.

4. In a fence-post, the base-plates A B, provided with sockets F upon the outer sides of their upper ends, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the said plates are adapted to receive the upright parts of the post, as set forth.

5. In a fence-post, the combination, with the base-plates A B, having sockets F, of the uprights H I, having inclined feet G, substantially as herein shown and descrihed,whereby the said uprights will be firmly supported, as set forth.

6. In a fence-post, the combinatiomwith the base-plates A B and the uprights H I, of the bands J, substantially as herein shown and described, whereby the base-plates and uprights are securely bound together, as set forth.

7. In afence-post, the combination,with the base-plates A 13, provided with the sockets F and ribs f, of the uprights H I, provided with the feet G and the grooves g, substantiallyas herein shown and described, whereby the said feet are held from being drawn outot' the said sockets, as set forth.

FRANK SC H MITZ.

Witnesses:

F. A. SPRAGUE, JOHN Dnnoun, Jr. 

